This Can't Be Happening
by AlyLuvsYou
Summary: Clary and Jace have a life; they're happy living together and being together. Most of the time. When they get into a big fight, Clary worries that there is no going back from this one, that this is the end. And what does Jace find when he gets out of his shower? If it's not Clary, then who is it? Soon he finds himself hoping that This Can't Be Happening... AH Rated T Please R
1. Chapter 1

**First Mortal instruments story! I tried to incorporate situations from the books (mostly COB) into the story, so keep an eye out for them. **

**Title: **This Can't Be Happening…

**Summary: **Clary and Jace have a life; they're happy. Most of the time. When they get into a big fight, Clary worries that there is no going back from this one, that this is the end. And what does Jace find when he gets out of his shower? If it's not Clary, then who is it? And will she ruin everything that Jace had planned with him and his girlfriend? Soon he finds himself hoping that This Can't Be Happening…

**Disclaimer: **I don't own any of the Mortal Instruments characters, but I wish I did. Them maybe I could meet Jamie… O.O

**Rated: **T (only for slight swearing)

**While reading, keep the song **_**Warrior by Beth Crowley**_** in mind. Or try playing it before, during or after reading. Whatever works!**

**Clary's POV**

It was stupid. Completely unworthy of the confusion and heartache I suffer every time something like this happens.

Fighting. I hated it. My mother and I used to fight – over stupid things like this, too. Then, one day, I ran out on her, and never got to tell her how sorry I was and how much I loved her. The only thing I see when I think of Jocelyn Fray is her name on a headstone and the date I last saw her smile: September 2nd, 2011. I've lived two years without my mother, but I had Jace to lean on. He was my rock, my crutch when I found it difficult to go on. He was always there, and I liked it that way.

Looking back at what happened earlier this afternoon, I guess fighting with Jace was pointless. In the end, I always gave in and went back to him. Maybe it was because I was afraid of what would happen to someone I loved if I was gone too long. In a way, leaving his – our – apartment to visit Isabelle was something like giving each other space, which is something we both need sometimes.

And that is exactly how she put it.

"You know you two are just going to kiss and make up, right?" She plopped herself on the couch next to me, her shopping bags from our trip to the mall scattered all over the living room furniture. My clothes were mixed in somewhere, and she promised to bring them to me later. "That's what happens every time you show up at my place with a hurt expression and a pissed off attitude."

I huffed, hating the fact that she was right. "I just wish he didn't act like he could care less about me. I mean, when we're alone for dinner or something, I know that's not the case, but when there's someone else in the room he turns into a completely different person." I thought about that for a minute. "Okay, that's a lie; he's still an ass the way around, but he changes around people – especially you guys." I was referring to her, her biological brother, Alec, my best friend (Isabelle's boyfriend) Simon, and Alec's boyfriend, Magnus.

Isabelle nodded, looking thoughtful for a minute. "Yeah, he's always been like that. But not to this extent."

I took the cup of hot tea that she poured for me and let the hot liquid run down my throat. "What do you mean?"

She sipped her tea. "Well, when we were younger, Jace never let Alec and I play with him and his friends. He said we had to be in the same grade as them. I thought that was bullshit and snuck into their 'fort' at the playground one day and saw that the boys were picking a little bird that was hurt. Jace stood back and never took part in it, but he knew what kind of bad things they did and just didn't want us involved." She came back from what could be described as a daze and focused on me again. "He was just being a protective big brother, despite being adopted into the family. And it's the same with you, but at the same times, it's amplified because he cares a lot about you, Clary."

I sighed. "But does it always take him three years of a committed relationship to finally show it?" Then, quickly, I added, "And could it be in a little less hypocritical way, please?!"

She laughed. ""Well, you know as well as I do that Jace is very subtle when it comes to things that are difficult for him to admit."

I rolled my eyes. "A little too subtle if you ask me."

Isabelle and I sat in a comfortable silence after that, just drinking our tea. Finally, she spoke again, "Who was at your apartment today that got him to act that way, anyway?"

I gave her a knowing look. She nodded in understanding, and at the same time we said:

"Alec."

"I should have known. Only my brother would provoke the situation. Even when we practiced our karate in the back yard; Alec always challenged Jace and someone – minus me, of course; I know better than that – would always wind up with a broken nose and a black eye.

I finished my tea. "I thought karate was, like, a self-defense kind-of-thing."

She shrugged. "It is, but, you know, boys will be boys."

We sat for another few minutes before she finished her tea and got up to go to the kitchen. That gave me time to think about everything she said. Maybe she was right; I just needed to give him a chance to show mw how he really feels. Maybe then we won't have any more of these annoying fights.

Suddenly, a loud ring erupted through the room.

"God, damn, that thing is loud," Isabelle muttered from the kitchen. She winced as she wondered back into the living room, rummaged through a bag, and answered her pink sparkling phone. "Hello?" there was a pause. "Oh, wow! That's awesome! Perfect timing…No, go home. I got it from here…Yup, I'm sending her right over!" I raised a bow. Now I know she was talking about me. Isabelle rolled her eyes. "Where else would she be?"

She hung up and looked at me excitedly. "Alec left your place about 10 minutes ago – something about a shower." She dismissed that thought. "But he said he talked to Jace and got him calmed down. I don't know how he did it, but this is your chance! He's got nowhere to go, and you can convince him to talk to you."

I stood from her couch – okay, she dragged me off, and was none too gentle about it. Why did I suddenly feel nervous? "Are you sure it's okay for me to see him? I mean, the last thing I want is to show up and we just launch into another fight." I eyed her when we made it to the door. "And the last time you were so sure about something, I was in the hospital with the stomach flu due to food poisoning."

She rolled her eyes and nearly pushed me out the door. "I'm sure! Now go, before it's too late."

With a new sense of hope, I bounded down the stairs, careful not to do a face-plant and completely embarrass myself. Isabelle's apartment building was only a few block away from mine and Jace's. In my earlier huff of rage, I had walked to her building instead of taking my car. And it looked like it was going to rain soon. Great. It was getting dark, and nothing good happens in Manhattan after dark. I decided to call Jace and let him know I was on my way over – you know, I case I got jumped in an alley and he could find me if I went missing. Mental shudder.

The phone rang than went to voicemail: _"Hey, it's Jace. If you haven't learned how to leave a voicemail, then you have a few issues."_

I rolled my eyes at the beep. "Hey, it's me. I…I hope you're not still mad. I'm on my way back from Isabelle's. I walked there, so I'm going to be about 15 minutes, hopefully less – I'm trying to hurry." I paused. How do I continue? "Um…c-can we talk? There's something that I…want to tell you. It's kind of important, and it would better be done now rather than later."

I hung up and took a deep breath. Wow, that took some courage. Even though it's been three years of dating, we haven't exchanged the magical three words yet. But I realized that despite all the shit and trouble he causes, I love him. Now all I have to do is tell him.

I glanced at the time on my phone after I hung up – 9:31 p.m. "Hmm. He should be out of the shower by now, and Jace isn't one to nap or anything like that, so maybe he just left his phone in another room."

Jace is particular about his schedule, and he usually always sticks to it:

6:00 a.m. – up and getting dressed

6:15 – breakfast and coffee

6:30 – a kiss for me and off to class

7:00-9:00 – Psychology

10:00-11:30 – Biology (lecture)

11:30-12:30 – Biology (lab)

1:00 – meets me of lunch

2:00 – work

7:00 – home to make dinner

9:15 – shower

9:30 – whatever comes after

It's like that Monday through Thursday when he has classes. Weekends depends on events that are planned. Any time he had to spare classes he would call me to check on me at home.

I'm a stay-at-home artist – trying to make some kind of living and some kind of money on the side while Jace is at work. I have classes at the same school Tuesdays and Thursdays. I'm not as good as my mom was, but my schooling is supposed to help with that – and my confidence to do better.

After calling his cell 5 more times, I tried Alec – maybe he hadn't actually left and they were talking.

Alec answered on the second ring – Jace always answered my calls on the first.

"Yes, future sister-in-law?" Alec said, humor and annoyance laced into his voice.

I rolled my eyes. Jace never proposed, nor did I expect/want him to for a few more years, but it was Alec's key way of annoying me. He knew the mention of it got under my skin. But Alec knew better than to call me his siter-in-law in front of Jace – he respected his adopted brother too much. So, then that means…

I let disappointment fill me. "You're not with Jace." It wasn't question, but he answered anyway.

"Uh, no. I told Izzy that I was leaving like 15 minutes ago. I'm on my way back to my apartment. Magnus is waiting for me."

I sighed. "Okay, thanks."

He spoke up before I could hang up. "Wait, why? Is everything okay?"

"I don't know. I – shit!"

Of course. With my luck, I would turn a corner and manage to hit my knee on a dumpster. It hurt. A lot. God, I my such a klutz.

"What? What is it?" He sounded alert now – worried even.

I cursed again after taking a look around and realized that this wasn't the street I wanted. "Ugh! I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere while we were talking. I'm not at my apartment steps like I should be…"

"Hmm. Short-term memory loss. Isn't Jace going to school for psychology? Maybe he could help you with-?"

"Alec!"

He laughed at my expense. "Okay, fine. I'll help. Do you want me to come get you? How far off did you wonder?"

I looked around and recognized a street sign – looks like I only went one street too far and took the wrong alley. "Not too far. I know where I'm at. Thanks anyway."

"Sure." There was a pause. "I'm nearly to my apartment – I'll check on you guys tomorrow. Later, Clary."

"Alright. Bye Alec. Tell Magnus I said 'hi'."

The line went dead and I started back down the way I came. I was eager to get back. I was getting a little creeped out by how quiet it suddenly got around me. I was also getting worried about Jace. He hasn't called me back. I didn't want to seem clingy, but damn it, I needed to know he wasn't dying or something in our apartment. The whole way to our apartment building, I called him – at least 6 times. Each time, the only answer I got was his voicemail. I was about to give up when, finally, during the 7th attempt, he answered.

"_Hello? Clary?"_ His voice sounded strained, like he was pushing or moving something.

_Thank God. He's alive._ "Hey. I'm…on my way home. I hope you're not still mad-"

"_What? Wait, don't—Ugh, just stop, okay? Don't come home."_

What? 'Don't come home'? What did he want me to do? Sleep at the park? Um…no. Don't think so. Not when there was a fluffy pillow and a soft bed calling my name. It was 9:30 at night! I was not going to stay outside longer than I had to.

"What do you mean? Why not?"

"_Be…because." _

Not an answer. "Jace, are you okay? What's-?"

"_Just…listen, damn it! Go back to Isabelle's – stay there if you have to and I will pick you up later. We can talk then, I promise."_

I was so confused. Did he listen to my message?

"My car… Jace, I-"

His voice sounded defeated, almost sad, but he was definitely pissed. The tone of his voice gave that away. _"Please. Trust me, Clary. You can't come here. You don't-"_

The line went dead. The screen flashed "call ended" in big red letters, as if mocking me. I looked from my phone to my apartment building in front of me. I had arrived when he told me not to come home, ironically enough. I wasn't sure what to do at that point – go in despite Jace's warning, or trek back to Isabelle's. I wanted to know why he was acting this way, but something in my gut told me I would regret it deeply. After a few minutes of debating, I climbed the steps to the building's front door with one thing on my mind:

What the hell is going on?!

**Thank you guys so much for reading! I really want to know what you all think. **

**R&R And Don't Hold Back!**

**-Aly**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, guys. I am…stunned. I never would have thought the story would be so popular so quickly! You all had me on the edge of my seat, wondering when the next review would pop up. And I can't believe how many have read and followed the story already. I'm not going to name all the people who read it, but here is a contribution to my thanks for those who reviewed:**

**(First Reviewer!) AOYKI**

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**Hammer22**

**Thank you all so much for the reviews and reading the story in general. I will introduce all new reviews at the beginning of each chapter as I update! And speaking of updating, I'm sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up. College, working midnights and trying to get the gym into my schedule is consuming me. But it's here now! And I hope you like it!**

**Jace's POV**

_God, why do you hate me? All of the bad shit that I did, and you want to punish me by punishing the girl I love? You sick, twisted bastard._

Maybe calling God a 'sick twisted bastard' was a little overboard, but I was frustrated and didn't give two shits at this point.

Clary left. Again. She always comes back from Isabelle's when she's calmed down and we both apologize. But this time…it was a big one.

Today I had gotten home a few hours early from work and walked in the door to a very frantic looking Clary. I had asked her what was wrong but she waved it off and suggested we start dinner. After we ate and cleaned up, she started tell me about her day – just like any other day – until Alec walked in unannounced with a case of beer, saying we were going to watch the game that was on tonight. Clary, clearly aggravated, asked for him to come back later so we could talk. I asked her what was so important that she couldn't say it in front of Alec. I'm not sure why I was so worked up but I went off on her – it was more or less a rant about how she can't just speak her mind – and I know now that I shouldn't have. I don't know what had gotten into her, but she had tears rolling down her face and calling me some colorful names before grabbing her wallet and racing out the door. Even as I chased her out the door, I heard her mumble something about how she couldn't take it and she was sick of it. 'It' implying my big mouth.

It's been just me and Alec in the apartment, draining the beers completely for almost five hours now.

_God, where did things get so messed up?_

_Ugh, why am I talking to you again? You're no help._

Alec won't up sticking around with the case of beer, and after a few hours, we had finished it and I was hunched over my island, pulling my hair out.

"I just don't know why I had to open my mouth." I shook my head, blonde curls flipping around.

Alec stood from his seat at the island, clearing away the cans – I think I downed at least 8 of the 12 that were in that pack, leaving 3 for Alec and the last on unopened. He threw them into the 'returnables' bag and returned to his stool next to me, looking down at the wooden island counter top as well.

"Clary…she doesn't speak her mind like you do. She's careful about what she says because – and let's be honest here – you tend to flip off the handle pretty easily." He gave me a look when I turned to protest. I stayed quiet. "Over the last three years of your relationship, she's learned to watch what she says. Now you know that I wouldn't hesitate to scream right back and give you a piece of my mind. But Clary loves you. You guys may not have said it to each other yet, but we can all see it – not only in her…" He nudged me with his shoulder. "But in you, too." He wrinkles his nose. "Sometimes it oozes off of you like a thick honey, and at that point I want to gag on it, but it's love nonetheless, and you have to be careful about where you tred. You're walking on some pretty thin ice here."

I nodded. "Yeah." In my hazed – not drunk, per say – mind, I tried to think about what I'd say to her. I always feel bad after our fights, especially since the situation with her mother. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I lost Clary like that. Probably curl up in a ball and die somewhere. She's my life, and I already planned to keep it that way for as long as we were together.

I slapped me once on the back. "I'll call Isabelle on my way out and tell her I left. I'm sure she will send Clary back and you two can duke it out." A lazy smirk appeared on his face, humor etched in his voice. "Whether that be done in or out of the bedroom is up to you."

I gave a humorless chuckle as I debated about cracking open that last can. Clary would never do that, at least not as soon as she stepped foot through the door. She said it's like rewarding a god for biting her hand – it's a horrible metaphor if you ask me – and you'd have to give her a lot of convincing in order to sleep with me after what I did.

I walked Alec to the door, thanked him for the beer, and went to shower. I glanced at my bedside table that held my alarm clock – 9:12. Right on time.

I stripped my clothes after turning the water somewhere near hot while. When I looked at myself in her slightly fogged mirror, I was disgusted with myself. I looked like a typical troubled man who had no place in life.

Despite trying to make a life for myself after Maryis – Isabelle and Alec's mother, my adoptive mother – kicked me out of their house when I was 17-years-old. I struggled through the last year and a half of high school and graduated with intensions of a future. I focused so much on my job I barely ever say Isabelle or Alec for a whole year, despite the fact they called and asked every weekend to hang out. I always brushed them off and went to work instead. I broke up with my girlfriend after high school because we agreed that a long distance relationship wouldn't work since she was leaving the state. Life started to whizz by me at full speed.

Until I ran into Clary at a coffee shop.

Begin Flashback

"_Thank you! Have a nice day! Please come again!"_

_I waited for the short line to move up but noticed the girl in front of me with dark red, firey hair had her nose buried in a book – Pride and Prejudice. I leaned down, right next to her ear where her hair was tucked neatly away, just getting glance of her green eyes flicker back and forth as she read. _

"_Are you going to go, or should we wait for you to finish?"_

_She gave a startled yelp and jumped inches off the ground, clearly taken by surprise hearing my voice. Her book as well as what was in her arms went flying to the floor, scattering around us. She cursed and bend down to pick up… Was that a magazine with her face on it?_

_I bent down to help her and went straight for the magazine. Examining it, I noticed that it wasn't her, but the woman on the cover looked a lot like her. They had the same hair and eyes._

"_That's my mom flaunting her latest work at an art show in town." _

_I looked up from the magazine, seeing it was that girl that spoke. She was clutching a set of colored pencils in one hand and her book in the other. Looking at her up close now, I almost gasped at how…angelic she looked. Almost like she was sent here just for my eyes. Okay, that's exaggerating a bit, but that's all my brain could process at the time. _

"_I can help someone over here!" The guy that was behind me scurried around us and took advantage of our distraction and went to the next line. I didn't care. I was okay with being lost in the beautiful woman's eyes._

_Without saying anything, I handed over the magazine. Then, realizing I was being some kind of creep just staring, I stood and offered her a hand up. With a hesitating glance, she took my hand and hoisted herself to her full height, which wasn't that call. She was about a whole head shorter than me, dressed in a casual red sundress combined with a worn pair of cowgirl boots and her long hair flowing around her. Hot._

"_I, uh…" I wasn't sure where I was going with that – my mouth spewing out words before my brain could process a thought. _

_She giggled – cutest sound ever. "I'm Clarissa Fray. Everyone calls me Clary."_

_I gulped down the lump in my throat that prevented speech. "My name…is Jace. Jace Wayland."_

_She smiled and I swear it got a little brighter. "Nice to meet you." She paused and I could only wait for her voice to sound again. "Do you, uh, think I can have my hand back?"_

_I glanced down and notice that – sure enough – I still hand her small hand carefully folded into mine. I quickly let go and retracted my hand back to my side. "Um, sorry."_

_She just shook her head to dismiss my apology. "So…do you live around here?"_

_Gathered myself from all previous idiocy and nodded, smirking slightly. "Yeah, actually. I live right down the road. I'm actually on my way there…if you'd like to join me."_

_She rolled her eyes, but, unlike other girls, she smirked a little, too. "I think I will pass up on that offer for now."_

"_Um…excuse me?" We both turned and faced the girl at the counter. "You either of you ready to order?"_

_Clary stepped up to place her order, but I cut in front of her. "Whatever she orders, I'm paying for." I turned and winked at Clary. "Don't hold back. I can handle it."_

_She went to protect, but stopped short, sighing and giving in. That's when I knew I had her. For the next few hours, we sat in the café and talked. At first it was about meaningless things – her favorite coffee flavor, past pets, etc. But after a few meetings, we starting talking about our futures and what we had planned. Slowly but sure, as we warmed up to each other, I started falling head over heels in love with her._

End Flashback

And I still loved her, I know I can be a dick sometimes, and I know I tend to shut her to her limit, but she's almost like a rubber band: no matter how far I stretched her, she always came back. But it seems that this time she was snapping back in slow motion, and it was perplexing is to _why_.

I shut the water off and stumbled out of the shower, still feeling the effects of the alcohol in my system. I toweled my hair briefly and then secured the fluffy blue material around my waist. (Clary's towel, which was still folded from her doing the laundry earlier in the day, was pink.) As I walked to the bedroom adjacent to the bathroom, I heard footsteps coming from the living room.

It must have been Clary coming home, so I turned to my closet to get ready for bed and get some much needed sleep. My focus still wasn't what it should be, and I would up stubbing my toe of the closet door.

I grumbled loudly. "Son of a-!" I bit my tongue. God that hurt! Why? I couldn't begin to know, but it was painful so I did my best to ignore it.

I pulled on a pair of boxers and a pair of sweat pants from the shelf and turned to my shirts, debating if I even wanted to wear one. Clary obviously won't want anything to do with me after today, especially not this later in the day, so I grabbed a white "wife-beater" tank top and turned around. I thought it had been Clary to walk into the room a few moments ago, but I was sadly mistaken. And to think I was prepared to tell the speech I had lines up for Clary to my ex-girlfriend…

"A-Aline?!"

The girl – no, woman – standing in front of me had on a wide grin and gave me a goofy, way to exaggerated wave.

"Hey, Jace!" She sounded way too happy to see me. Did she plan this? "Long time no see, handsome."

"What are you doing here?" Better question: "How did you know where I lived?" Even better yet: "And how the hell did you get in here?!"

She giggled annoyingly, waltzing her way to me, shaking her hips around. "I just moved into the building a few days ago. I saw you come and go a few times, but didn't know where you lived until I saw Alec leave. You left the door open, so…" She shrugged like it was no big deal. "I came in. I know you missed me, Jace. It's like fate brought you back to me."

I hadn't realized I was at the foot of me and Clary's bed, so when I tried to take a step back, I wound up sitting down. I don't think my lack of respect bothered her much. In fact, I think I did her a favor. Her hands traced invisible lines from my shoulders straight down to the middle of my abs, almost getting a shiver out of me.

"And my God, how you've matured, Wayland," she whispered, the eyes smothering me as she looked down at me. I will admit she was really pretty in her yoga shorts and heavily sequenced tank top. There was pure seduction and lust laced and intertwined in her voice and it brought be back to how clingy and annoying she was in high school.

I grabbed her hands forcibly and held them tight so she couldn't explore any more of my body. "Aline, what are you doing here? You have to-"

My phone started ringing loudly. With a start I realized Aline had it in her hand.

She glared at the phone. "It's been ringing non-stop – seems Alec misses you," she taunted, waving it around. I hoped so badly that it was Clary.

I stood quickly and pushed her a few feet away, never knocking her backwards. "Give it," I demanded none too kindly, and reached for it. She, of course, yanked it out of reach.

"You will have to take it from me," she declared, smirking. "You how much I like playing games – hey!"

Before she could finish I stepped forward and snatched it from her. "I'm tired of your games, Aline."

Without a second thought, I hit answer, but just as I did that, Aline tried to take it back – I struggled to hold her away at arm's length. She was pretty strong for a priss. "Hello? Clary?"

Her voice was steady and nervous, but she also sounded relieved about something.

"_Hey. I'm…on my way home. I hope you're not still mad-"_

While Clary's voice came from the other end of the phone, I had Aline try to take the phone back, turning it into phone of her games. And I wasn't in any mood to play.

Shit!

"Wait, don't-" Frustrated, I pushed Aline away, mistakenly speaking into the phone. "Ugh, just stop, okay?" I mentally slapped myself, and focused on Clary again. "Don't dome home."

She paused. Obviously confused. By the angel, I hated this. I never lied to Clary, and even though the truth hurt her, she always understood in the end. But this truth would sure drive her away, and I couldn't risk that.

"_What do you mean? Why not?"_

I hesitated. "Be…because."

Another mental slap. Lame answer.

I let out a grunt when Aline jumped onto my back, trying again to reach the phone. God, she is annoying! And I've had enough of it!

"_Jace, are you okay? What's-"_

"Just…listen, damn it! Go back to Isabelle's – stay there if you have to and I will pick you up later. We can talk then, I promise."

I finally managed to shake Aline. I was exhausted. I couldn't tell if it was wrestling Aline of the alcohol still present in my system, but I just needed this day to be over.

"_My car… Jace, I-"_

"Please. Trust me, Clary. You can't come here. You don't-"

The phone slipped from my hand and hit the ground, ending the call. I snapped around and saw Aline with a triumphant smirk on her face, realizing it was her that slapped the phone out of my hand.

"Aline!" I bent to pick up the phone, but didn't bother trying to call again. After all of that, there's no way Clary would pick up anyway, so I slid it in the pocket of my sweats. "Son of a… Why are you doing this?"

She waltzed up to me, pushing me down hard backwards on the bed. Damn alcohol is still zapping my strength! "Please, Jace. Remember the games you played to get me to go away? You would always pick up your phone and pretend to have a conversation with someone, just as an excuse to leave when you thought you were letting someone into your heart." She looked sad for a moment. "Funny, that you still haven't given up that old trick."

Wow. I really had done that. Anything to get her away – to get away from her – but not because I thought she was weaseling her way into my heart. She was years away from that happening. But because I didn't want her clinging to me anymore; I didn't see that relationship going anywhere. And I was done.

I put my hands on her shoulders, ready to push the psycho off of me and get her out of my apartment, when she crashed her lips to mine hurriedly. Too bad she was never a good kisser. Just as her lips touched mine, I heard a timid voice, one that I've been longing to hear in person since this fight started.

"Jace…?"

Clary.

She was here, with wide eyes and a horrified expression seeing Aline on top of me. My heart stopped for a split second as I shoved Aline off, who gladly went when she realized I really did have a girlfriend. Everyone was frozen for was felt like centuries.

God, please tell me this wasn't happening…


	3. Chapter 3

**I apologize in advance if there is any grammar or spelling errors in this chapter. It took me so long to get typed and ready to go, I failed to have the patience to edit it or go through it a third time; mainly because I was excited for it to go up. And its here!**

**Here is to those who reviewed for the last chapter:**

**(First reviewer!) yellowruss99**

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**(Guest 4)**

**anaades49800**

**Thank you everyone who is sticking with me and being very patient as I scramble to get the chapters up. (That includes those of you who didn't review by are following me like creepers. Lol Just kidding.) There should be one more after this one, so keep an eye out, and please, PLEASE, let me know what you all think. Did I go a completely off base from what you all thought? OR do you really like where its going?**

**Jace's POV**

For a long moment, no one said anything. Aline looked clearly flustered – did she seriously think it wasn't my girlfriend I was talking to earlier? The only thing I could focus on was the horrible situation I was in and the hurt in Clary's green eyes.

"Jace, you really have a girlfriend?" Of all the things to say, it had to be that. I glared hard at Aline, who looked completely unfazed. In fact she suddenly looked bored and shrugged. "This just got intense…" The tension in the room didn't lighten, but I'm sure she wasn't actually helping that fact. "I'm out."

And with that, she was gone. Not that I cared. I wanted her gone from the very beginning. Now if only I can get Clary to see that before she—

"I was going to ask why you didn't want me to come home, Jace." She shook her head, not looking at me but rather the wall above our bed. "But I see now I should have stayed at Isabelle's."

God, her voice was…blank. She was trying to feel nothing, to block it out. She was beyond mad, and obviously hurt. I did this.

I took a cautious step toward her, one she immediately responded to by taking a step back, closer to the door. "Clary, please, let me explain."

She snorted, but I could tell her throat was tight from fighting tears. "Next you're going to tell me it's not what I think, that it's all a big misunderstanding."

"It is! Clary, I would never do something like that to you willingly," I said softly, firmly so she knew I meant it. "You know that I would never lie to you – all that I tell you is the truth. What more do you need?"

I thought she'd break at that point, but instead she stood taller. "Proof."

I just stared. "What?"

"I need proof that you're telling the truth, because… Jace if this is all really happening…" She shook her head, as if she couldn't finish.

"The truth…" I ran a hand through my hair. "The truth is…we used to date, me and her – Aline. It was back in high school. Before my mother kicked me out and long before I met you. She said she just moved into the building and noticed Alec leave the apartment." I looked up into her eyes again. "That's the truth, I swear."

She looked from to the forgotten shirt on the floor, and then to the slightly rumpled bed. I'm also sure she noticed the fact that my hair is a little more messy than normal. As she took all of this in, she took two steps back toward the door.

I reached for her. "Clary, wait!"

But I was too slow. She quickly moved away and closed the door, and because I'm still slightly tipsy, I couldn't stop and ran right into the door. Headfirst.

"Ah! God, damn door!" I muttered, scrambling to get it open again. I ran through the living room to the now opened front door. Clary was already to the elevator down the hall by time I got to the front door.

"Clary, damn it, wait!"

She shook her head and stepped into the elevator. I reached the doors just as they were closing. The look of pure hatred and hurt on Clary's face nearly broke my heart.

"Clary!" I banged on the door after they closed. "Ugh!"

Stumbling again, I ran back to the apartment and straight to the bedroom. I grabbed a shirt and my coat. I was supposed to rain tonight; might come in handy if she makes it outside. I glanced at my dresser and stopped. Quickly, I placed the object I had been waiting to put to use in my pocket. Racing back through the apartment, I ran as fast as I could down the stairs and through the corridor. Clary was just making it through the doors. It was pouring outside.

I ran past our door clerk, Mrs. Dorthea. I ignored her glare about running through the lobby.

"Clary, please, listen to me," I called, but, of course, she wasn't.

I pushed open the doors, and didn't hesitate when the rain hit my face, immediately soaking my hair and clothes. I followed her down the sidewalk, the wet cement stinging my bare feet. Of all the things I didn't think to grab and it had to be shoes. Finally I caught up to her, just as she stepped in a hole and twisting her ankle. She let a faint pained cry escape her lips as she tried to brace herself on a brick wall.

I slowed, coming to stand right next to her. "Clary…" I said softly, taking her elbow to steady her. In return, her hand can fast at my face and made contact with my left cheek. It shouldn't have, but it sent me stumbling two steps away, nearly falling onto my hands and knees. I held my cheek tenderly; there was sure to be a red mark there.

My gaze slowly trailed to hers, feeling confused and slightly taken aback.

The look of pain, fear and betrayal in her eyes was overwhelming, and I hardly look away. Despite how much I couldn't take it.

"I trusted you!" she screamed through the roar of the rain. "I…I gave you everything, Jace, all that I had. I gave you my love, my affection… and this is how you repay me?"

I stood, my shoulders slumped. I didn't turn toward her; as tough as I made myself believe I was, I couldn't face her.

"I never wanted this, Clarissa. You…you have to believe me. This…wasn't supposed to happen today." I took in a deep breath. "I…I had something I wanted to tell you, too."

A humorless laugh pasted her lips. "And what, it was supposed to happen at another time?"

I narrowed my eyes. "I wouldn't cheat on you, Clary. You need to listen to me, I couldn't do something like that. I man stays loyal to…to the woman he cares so much about. Would you put me down so low? After 3 years of knowing me, you would jump to conclusions like this without hearing my side of the story?" I was begging her to understand, to just hear me out. She had to know the truth.

She was quiet for a minute, leaning heavily against the wall. Where she was, she had slight cover from the relentlessness of the storm, whist I stood in the middle of the darkened road. I didn't care. The only thing that mattered was getting my angel back.

"I…I thought maybe one day you would be my family, Jace." She looked up at the sky, face eerily calm. "For a long time, you, Alec and Isabelle have been my family after my father left and my mother died. I thought we could have a family of our own, to get out of this place and just live. To…to make our parents proud. They may be gone, but we're still here. And without you…" She looked at me again, and I could tell by her red-rimmed eyes that her tears were mixing with the rain. "What else do I have? Where else could I call home besides your arms? I thought I was safe there. But now I see it might have been a mistake."

I kept my eyes on her, never looking away. And this time, I did turn to her. I tried to take a step closer, but she only cringed slightly away, telling me she didn't want me near. I stayed put. For now. "It wasn't a mistake, Clary. What you saw…it wasn't real. She came at me, and as cheesy as I sounds, it's true. Aline was always the kind of person that took what she wanted no matter who she hurt." I took a deep breath, feeling that the hard-core pouring rain was finally letting up. "The love I've felt for you and you for me – that's real. That is what matters. I…I never wanted any of that – what she was doing. That was her! Not me… I was waiting for you to come home, Clarissa Fray." I clutched the fabric of my pocket. "I was going to tell you – show you – how much you mean to me. I wanted the chance to be the man you needed, but instead you walked into a disaster. And Clary…" My gaze locked with hers, and for a moment I felt completely vulnerable, but that was okay, because it was Clary. "I'm so sorry."

I had never poured my heart out to her like that, never told her just how much I needed her; now I realize I should have done it more often. She deserved to know why I feel the way I do and what I wanted for us. She deserved better than what she witnessed today.

I opened my mouth to say more, to convince her that it was all true, and that I would never lie to her. I closed my mouth and turned my head away. I don't know what else to say to convince her; I've said all that I could say. Now it was up to her to decide what the next step was.

Shame filled every part of my being, and soon, I felt numb. It wasn't a whole-body-numb feeling, it felt as though my heart had burst into flames, and that is what caused the growing ache in my chest. I left as though I was doped up on pain killers that were working a little too well, ones that made me feel dizzy and nauseous.

After a long moment, I heard her uneven footsteps stumble slowly away, back down the road toward the apartment. I stayed where I was, sinking deeper and deeper into my own personal hell. I tried taking deep breaths, praying that my heartbreak would stop, that there was a way to fix all of this. I didn't want this to end! I didn't want her to think of me as a cheating pig! I thought we were so happy…

Why was this happening?

Because I let my frustration and anger get the better of me. I focus too much on work and school when I should have been spending as much time as I could with her. In case something like this happened, then she would know the truth.

Why couldn't she see how much I loved her?

She knows I do – _she has to_. She is everything I'm not, and I'm everything she's not. We were meant to be together from the beginning. Her caring nature and unconditional love was the cure to my broken-down, man-whore-ish ways.

Now what do I do with a broken heart?

I would have wallowed in my sorrow more when I heard her scream.

"Jace!"

My heart pumped pure adrenaline through my veins. I snapped back to life and turned in time for someone to pull Clary down an alley, her limbs flailing as she tried to get free, yelling for them to let her go, for someone to help.

_Clary was in trouble. Clary needs my help. Clary… Clary…_

That was the only thing running through my mind as I ran back down the street, ignoring the pain in my feet as they beat hard against the cold cement.

"Clary!" I called her name just as I made it to the mouth of the alley. But before I could get a look at her, a fist came flying at my face. It was sloppy and uncontrolled, so I dodged it easily. I took him by the arm, pinned it behind his back and smashed his face hard into the brick of our apartment building. Before he had a chance to cry in pain, I took my fist to his temple, knocking him out.

One down, two left to go.

I turned back down the alley. One guy was waiting for me, and in the light of the moon, I saw a glint of silver. I smirked, getting into a defense stance. "Come on, now. I ain't got all night." Taunting – something every man falls for when he's looking for a fight.

"No! Jace, he's got a knife!" Clary screamed over the relentless rain. I met her frightened gaze for a moment, letting her know that it was okay.

I've trained in the rain and taken down 6 men at before. I was 13-years-old. It may have been almost 6 years since I've practiced my moves, but there are just some things that you don't forget. Not when the woman you love is in the hands of bastards like them.

I extended my arm out toward him then gave him the 'come here' gesture.

He complied pretty quickly, coming at me full speed. But I was ready for him, and I was willing to risk my life in order to get Clary back.

The knife in his right hand pointed straight at my abdomen, suggesting that he was right handed. I'm left handed, so this should be easy. Just as quickly as he came at me, I dodged him, side-stepping and getting on his left side. I kicked the knife from his hand and as soon as my foot came back to the ground, I sent a blow to his left shoulder, knocking him off balance. I blocked each kick and punch he threw at me, and finally finished when I chopped him in the neck when my opening came. He fell to my feet in a heap, choking and clutching his throat.

Next was the bastard holding my girlfriend against the wall on the other end of the alley.

He must not have heard my coming, because I was right up behind him and had by the back of his shirt just as his hand grabbed Clary by the face roughly. As soon as his weight was gone, Clary sank against the wall, using the building to keep her up-right. It was almost cliché how the rain stopped beating down on us as soon as he sat up to face me with a ugly glare. The man may have been on his ass, but he wasn't down long; he was back on his feet and coming at me with a cry of frustration. I was ready.

I ran at him, too. And despite the slight height advantage he had over me, I tackled him around the waist and brought us both to the ground. Before he could get to his feet I was on him and punched him straight in the jaw. He was barely fazed and managed to get a hit on me. One that knocked me slightly off of him. Enough to get a hold on me and send us rolling around on the hard ground like a plastic bottle caught in the wind. Grunts erupted into nearly silent air as both of us tried to get the upper hand.

Normally I wouldn't fight like this, not when the defensive moves I've learned over the years could have avoided all of this non-sense. But my father's "lessons for punishment" taught me a different method to defend myself, especially when I couldn't possibly hope about going on the defensive – how could I when all the alcohol I had was still messing with my brain and the anger I felt mixed into it? Besides, it's thanks to those lessons from my father, Valentine, that he's been locked up in jail and I was adopted by the Lightwood family.

While dealing with this moron, I got a hit to the head from when he rolled on top and smashed my head into the wall; a hard punch to the gut that rolled me off of him the first time; a hit to the jaw that sent my head flying back; and then when I couldn't compose myself fast enough from that last hit, he sent a right hook that send my flying backward.

"Jace!" Clary called from somewhere close by.

Clary. I had almost forgotten that she was there. If she got caught up in this mess and he got a hold of her again, I may not be able to keep her from getting hurt. And I don't care how mad she is at me, I'm not letting that happen. Not now, not ever.

Without looking at her, I scrambled to my feet and said, "Get out of here, Clary!" I never turned to make sure she made it, but her footsteps got father and farther away. By time this was over, she'd be in our apartment, probably calling the cops.

The guy came at me again and again and again, throwing punches that I barely dodged in time, landing kicks – those hurt like hell. I was back on the defensive, trying (and somewhat succeeding) in blocking his attack. And let me say that this guy had a lot of energy for a thug. He didn't seem to even be breaking a sweat – not that I would be able to tell what with everything being soaked. His build was more noticeable up close, and he might as well be a body-builder. He had more stamina and more power in his hits than I did, and my chances of winning this thing were slowly dwindling.

Finally, I saw an open that was almost an obvious one, but I took it anyway. I braced myself on the wall, easily dodged the swing aimed at my head by pushing off the wall and slinked away under his arm. I thought I'd be slick and get in a good punch to the kidneys, but I was very wrong. You see, the trap that he baited me into allowed him to step back on my food – I swear it was broken as soon as I felt his weight – and with his opposite arm, he brought his elbow down on my shoulder. And the thing about this trick is because he stomped down on my foot, there was nowhere to go but straight down.

Pain exploded in my neck, shoulder and back – probably because I hit the ground like a bag of rocks. I groaned and tried to roll to the side, but I couldn't get far. He kicked me back over none to gently and took two large fists full of my shirt. With strength I didn't know he still had, he lifted me up with ease and slammed my already sore body against the wall. Hard.

"You will regret interfering with my night out, boy," his voice rang, his face right up in mine. Even through squinted eyes, it was hard to miss his glare and hard expression. "I'm going to find her, and then you'll never see her again."

Anger flared in my chest, and I managed to lift my arm enough to swipe my fist across his jaw. I'll be damned before I let him touch Clary, especially if he intends to do what I think he does. And I will fight him as long as I have to in order to make sure Clary stays safe and away from him.

Furious that I hit him – or still had the strength to oppose him, I wasn't sure which one it was – he dragged my body higher up the wall. I felt hard red brick dig into my back. Then, a sharp pain exploded in my abdomen. My mouth flew open in a silent cry of pain. The grip I had on the man's hand that had my throat loosened, and my other hand went to the weapon – a knife – that was lodged deep into my body. The knife came out and a thick, hot liquid poured from the wound. My blood, and a lot of it.

My vision became cloudy, as if shadows surrounded me at every angle.

Another voice sounded from somewhere in the distance.

Or maybe the voice was right in front of me.

I couldn't be sure.

Everything was dark…

And I slowly became numb…

_Clary…Please be okay…I love you…_

**Sorry. I'm going to end it here. Everything will be cleared up in the next chapter. Promise. I hope this is turning out the way you guys wanted. I really had high hopes for the story, and I'm glad it grew so popular in such a short amount of time. **

**As always, let me know what you think and **_**don't hold back**_**!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys. Sorry it took so long getting this up. School is a pain and work is killing me. But I tried getting on the computer as much as I could, and I know its short for being worked on for so long, but I hope you like the chapter for what it is. And that, my fellow readers, is a cliff hanger. Lol Yeah, that's right. I'm going to leave you hanging in the end. Sorry! At least I warned you before-hand…! Right?**

**Anyway, don't let me hold you up.**

**Please Review!**

**Clary's POV**

I hated hospitals. Nothing good comes bring being there.

If it wasn't the smell, then it was the sound of people moaning; if it wasn't that, then it was seeing people coming out of surgery, not being able to tell if they are breathing; if it wasn't that, then it was the sound of loved ones crying; and if it wasn't that, then it was the soul fact that I was perfectly fine, but someone I loved was lying in a white bed with machines beeping all around.

The nursing staff never said anything against me being with my mom all night – day in and day out. They didn't even care that I would lay in bed with her, and only leave her side to use the bathroom or let them do their check-ups; they didn't seem to mind at all, actually.

I remember staying up late with my mother, waiting for her to wake up, waiting for her to spring up from her comatose state saying "Surprise!" and that it was all just a cruel, sick joke. I held her hand and sometimes laid in her bed with her when I cried. At the time, I was filled with such regret – walking out on my mom after arguing, never getting to make sure she knew that I loved her. But I came to terms with my guilt – Isabelle helped a lot with that – and I was able to let my mom go, so she didn't have to suffer anymore.

They felt sorry for me…

Because they knew. They knew that my mother was never going to wake up. "She's going to be all on her own," they'd say. "She'll have no one," they'd whisper. And for a time I felt as though I was. I was trapped in a small space, and I felt as though I couldn't breathe without her there, that nowhere was safe. But they were wrong.

I had Jace.

I had Simon and Isabelle, Magnus and Alec. I had my new family, and my closest friends.

They made it all better – and I could breathe again.

Without them… I don't know what I would have done.

"Hun? You okay?" the nurse asked, looking up at me over the clip board in her hand. She was kind, with dark blonde hair that was pulled up in a tight pony. She always asked I wanted anything before she left to tend to her next patient.

It was around two in the morning, and I couldn't seem to relax. My mind had been reeling over …everything. My mother. Her car accident. The short days I had to spend with her. The events today – yesterday. Whatever.

I shook my head to clear the cob webs. "Yeah. Just thinking." About what wasn't important to mention. I didn't want her to think it was her that was making me feel uncomfortable.

The nurse – her name tag said Erin – gave me a skeptical look that clearly said she knew there was more, but she nodded anyway. "Well, whatever it is, I hope it doesn't keep you up too much longer. You need your rest." She nodded with a smirk over to the couch that sat in the corner of the room. "Your friends certainly know not to let their worries get the best of them."

I looked over at the couch where Alec and Isabelle slept. It didn't look big enough for the both of them, but they managed. Alec sat on the far left of the couch in what looked like a very uncomfortable position. Isabelle's feet were in his lap, her body spread out across the cushions. I smiled lightly. Alec was going to freak out when he realized he showed weakness openly.

"Yeah. They went to get me clothes for tomorrow, and closed up my apartment. They need their sleep."

Erin smiled too. "Well, no use in worrying now; the danger is over. You're safe here."

I let out a long sigh after she left the room, promising to check on me later. "I wish."

I looked to my right, letting my eyes take in Jace's bruised body as he lay in his own bed, completely unaware of where he was or what was going on. I was happy that he was safe. He took a bad beating, and the doctor said he's very lucky the knife didn't hit any vital organs. That guy was send straight to jail when the cops peeled him from the ground…

"_Don't worry, sweet thing. He may not want you anymore." And evil grin crossed his face as his smelly breath touched my neck. "But we do…"_

An involuntary shiver ran down my spine remembering the words that asshole said to me in the alley. I wasn't going to tell Jace – no way in hell. There was no point to, anyway. It would only piss him off that much more and cause him stress. That's the last thing his body needs right now.

As I lay in my own bed a few feet from Jace's, stirring slightly, I tried to take Erin's advice and get some much needed sleep. I felt as though I should be doing something… I don't know – productive? I felt useless doing nothing. Just as useless as I was when Jace raced into the alley and risked his life…

In the next few hours that passed, I did anything but sleep. I played on my phone, but was bored of that rather quickly. I read the magazines that were laying on the small coffee table across from Isabelle and Alec's still sleeping forms. When those no longer entertained me, I gazed idly at the pictures and postings from hospital staff on the wall. I even went to the bathroom to wash my face with warm water and a little soap, hoping it would relax me enough to feel tired. It didn't. I wasn't. And now I was bored again.

I went back to my bed and was about to get in it when I thought better of it. I've tried lying in every comfortable position to sleep in and nothing was doing it for me. Instead, I turned to Jace's bed. I slid out from under the sheets and stood by the side that didn't have all of the machines, the side that was closest to my cot. Jace was healing well, for it having only been a few hours since the incident. The bruise on his cheek was turning a purple-yellowish color, which meant it was starting to heal. His nose was slightly swollen, and now that his face was washed clean I could now see there was a small cut across the middle from where the blood had been coming from.

A tear slid down my cheek, burning a hot path down my face and to my chin. My voice cracked roughly when I spoke.

"Poor Jace." I swallowed, hoping to make it feel less like sand paper in my throat. I glanced back at Isabelle and Alec – still asleep. Turning back to Jace and I said, "I'm so sorry that this happened. I…I should have waited to listen to you; I should have let you explain in the apartment instead of running out. If I hadn't done what I've done, than this wouldn't have happened. I mean, I could have kicked, screamed and thrown stuff at you all I wanted, but…I shouldn't have handled it like I did. Running is never the answer. The incident with my mother is proof of that. I swear, she'd be disappointed in me if she were here now…" I sniffled, taking his hand gently in both of mine. His knuckles were bruised and cut slightly.

And I realized something then. Something…I hadn't known that I was ready for. Until I realized just how much I need Jace in my life.

"I love you, Jace Wayland. I've loved you the moment you scared the hell out of me in the café, the one that became our meeting place for 2 months. In that short amount of time, you managed to capture my heart. Please, please be okay," I pleaded, feeling more tears stain my cheeks. I bend my head and pressed my lips to his hand "I…I can't stand the thought of losing you to a stupid argument like I lost my mom…" I hiccupped embarrassingly – thank God no one was really there to listen. "Please don't leave me so soon, Jace… I need you."

I sobbed for a few more seconds, withering in self-pity and sorrow. God, this was painful. I never thought being in a hospital where people save lives every day…would scare me as much as it does.

Before I knew it, there was a gentle hand on my shoulder. I lifted my head and snapped around, my read hair whipping around with me as I gazed frozen in Isabelle's dark eyes.

"I-Izzy…!" I replaced Jace's hand on the bed and wiped furiously at my face, removing evidence that I had been crying. But it was obviously too late since she saw me sobbing just a few moments ago.

Isabelle stood still behind me, her hand never leaving my shoulder. Her eyes held sympathy and some understanding. That's when I remembered that her and Alec know what it's like to lose someone you care about.

Max – their 9-year-old little brother – who had died a couple of months after I met Jace. The boy was killed by a drunk driver when him, Isabelle, and Alec were visiting Jace at his apartment (at the time). Max and Isabelle went down stairs to get Max's Naruto Manga from Isabelle's car. It was raining, and Isabelle didn't want to get her boots wet, so after making sure there were no cars, she sent Max to the car just across the street. He crossed the street just fine, but on this way back to Isabelle, a car came screeching around the corner. Isabelle screamed for her brother to move as she bounded from the apartment building steps, but it was too late. Max died with a little toy soldier in his hand, one that Jace had apparently given him a few years ago, before he was kicked out of his only home by his adoptive mother. Isabelle was that very toy soldier sitting on her night stand at her apartment, her small reminder that she couldn't protect her brother from danger.

"He'll be okay, Clary." Isabelle's clear and warm voice broken me from my thoughts. She looked sad and concerned, but despite only having a few hours of sleep, she looked like she could take on another day – no problem. She even looked…refreshed.

"Jace wouldn't leave you – leave us – like that," came a deep voice from behind her. Alec stood tall, his shoulders squared, on the other side of my cot, looking down at Jace with an almost blank face. But his eyes revealed everything. "He knows that if he did, I'd have to kill him."

My lip twitched at the logic in that sentence. But I knew he was trying to make me feel better.

Isabelle suddenly pulled me to her chest, holding me tight in a hug. A hug I very much needed. The pajama pants that Isabelle brought from my apartment – the fashionista wouldn't let me sit here in an ugly gown and brought clothes for me to wear – and practically fell into her arms. I relished in her comfort. Isabelle didn't really like me in the beginning of my and Jace's relationship, but she warmed up to me. Me and Alec's friendship…I still need to work on.

"No one understands how scared you are right now better than us. Losing Max…it was the worst thing to ever feel." She pulled away and held me out at arms-length. Her face was contorted with pain and sadness. "And no one else can stand at fault for his dead but me."

"Izzy…" Alec said lowly in a warning. They had been through this several times, him explaining that Max's death wasn't her fault. Nevertheless, she just rolled her eyes, ignoring her brother.

"I blamed myself for what happened." She shook her head in dismay. "I could have done so many things differently. I could have gone out with him. I could have held his hand. I could have guided him safely across the street – could have made him wait to look both ways." She sighed, the rant seeming to take her breath away – or maybe it was the mere mention of her brother. "The point is…you are not to blame for what happened to Jace. You can name things off of things you could have done differently until you are blue in the face, but that won't change anything. It still happened. Face it. And then blow it off because…Clary…" She looked so sad then; just as sad as the day Max died. "Jace is _alive_. He's going to be just fine. You can hold him, kiss him and tell him how much you care about him and how worried you were. And under no circumstances are you to blame yourself for anything – none of this is your fault, Clarissa Fray. Do you understand me?" There was a harsh edge to her voice, and her grip on my shoulders tightened, as if will me with the strength in her hands to understand. "And you better remember it."

How could I say no? Everything that she said made sense – her logic was sound. And I think my heart could use some weight of the guilt that I feel. She was right. I couldn't have stopped those guys from jumping me in the alley more than I could have stopped Jace from coming after me. Partly because he's just hard-headed like that. But also because he does care about me and would have done anything reckless like that regardless of what I said.

He really does care about me too damn much.

Slowly, I nodded, earning a small smile from Isabelle, the girl I very much think of as my sister. She hugged me again briefly. "We are going to get some coffee. Do you want something to eat? We can run across the street for food if you want. I know how terrible hospital food is. We had to pull through that torture when Alec broke his arm falling out of a tree and we rushed him here just before dinner was served."

From behind Izzy, I saw Alec roll his blue eyes. "Come on, Izzy. I doubt she wants anything but sleep." He stepped around the bed and passed us slowly, smirking. "Let's go before you decide you want to cook her food for her. Now that's worthy of a trip to the bathroom toilet."

That earned him a slap on the arm. Isabelle rolled her eyes and left my side to grab her purse and jacket. "We'll be back soon. Try to sleep, please."

I nodded shortly and waved to her as she slipped out of the room.

I turned back to Jace.

"Isabelle's right," I whispered softly to myself. "No need to dwell over something that I could hardly control. All that matters now is that fact that you're alive."

Suddenly, I had to stifle a yawn. I guess the guilt was weighing me down to exhaustion – and I hadn't even noticed till now because I had been so worried. Now that the weight is gone, I feel as though I might pass out as soon as I hit the pillow. Using the new sense of courage and strength from Isabelle's speech, I carefully wiggled myself into Jace's bed. There was barely enough room for me to lie on my side up under his arm. Jace always had a sense of comfort about him. And that comfort was more like home to than anywhere else – even the old apartment building we lived in. And I could never get enough of it.

I sighed deeply and relaxed into Jace's chest, being careful to avoid his stomach area where the stab wound was still very much healing. The last thing I want to do was cause Jace pain.

Smiling at the thought, I snuggled into Jace's side, closed my eyes, and let my body's instincts take over and sweep me into a deep sleep. But that sleep didn't last long.

A few hours later, a nurse – the one that takes over for Erin after the midnight shift – woke me saying that I got the clear to be discharged. She told me that Jace would have to be here another half a day or so, other than that he was recovering remarkably well and was perfectly okay. My heart swelled hearing Jase's condition was stable and that he was going to be okay. But my conflict with this being my fault in the first place came back like a flood breaking a dam. Isabelle had warned me not to blame myself, but there was something I had to do, something no one else could help me with.

While my friends were trapped in the waiting room, I changed into the clothes Izzy brought me and got ready to leave the room. I turned to the door, but paused, taking another look at Jase sleeping comfortably in his bed. His pale color from yesterday had receded, leaving behind a natural pink in his cheeks. I could imagine his gold lion-eyes watching me with an intensity. He really was a handsome man…

And I suddenly couldn't believe that I had decided to leave him behind.

This was the right thing to do. Isabelle may have been right – what happened to Jace wasn't my fault. But seeing him like this hurt a lot. I had to think about what was going to happen next, and to do that, I needed to be alone for a little while, no matter how much I didn't want to be. I missed my mother, and being here made me think of her. She would be disappointed in me if she knew what I was doing – or going to do – but I there's something telling me that I had to.

Before I could change my mind again, I opened the door to the room we shared and walked out without looking back.


	5. Chapter 5

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**Jace's POV**

Being dead was a lot more comfortable than I thought it would be. I mean, I thought after all of the shit I've done that God would give me a one-way ticket to see the Devil. (After all, I did call him a sick twisted bastard yesterday…) Isn't it supposed to be, like, melt-my-flesh hot, not soft and warm? Not going to lie, I'm kind of disappointed.

But apparently I'm _not_ dead, so at the same time that's a bonus.

Once I got over the disappointment, I noticed next that there was weight on me. It wasn't a heavy weight, like someone was sitting on me. It was like someone had their head on my chest, like they were listening to my head beat.

I cracked an eye open…

And immediately snapped it shut again.

Holy hell! Could the lights be a little bit brighter please? My eyes haven't burned out of their sockets yet, so, obviously, they need to be a little more blinding.

I groaned and tried again, this time opening both eyes more slowly. The lights still stung my eyes, but it was bearable.

"Hey! He's awake!"

Ow. That annoyingly high-pitched voice can only belong to one person.

Trying to better my vision, I blinked a few times and followed the voice off to my right. I turned my head ever so slightly – and very slowly because I already had a headache – and focused on the faces around the room. Pretty much everyone that I expected to be standing there was: Isabelle (I knew that one by her voice), Alec, Magnus, and Simon. I almost smiled.

"Of courses you guys are here," I said and had to swallow because my throat was dry and my voice cracked. "Don't you have better things to do than attaching yourselves to my hip?"

Isabelle put her hands on her hips, shifting her weight from one leg to the other, telling me she did not like my comment at all. "Well, if you didn't do and get yourself gang beat by a couple of thugs, we wouldn't be here, not would we?"

I cringed at the volume of her voice. "Izzy… Please, not now. My head is killing me."

Simon stepped in, wrapping an arm around her waist and whispering something in her ear. Her eyes widened with realization and she put a hand to her mouth. "Oops. Sorry," she whispered, but she wasn't really talking to me. It was more like a general statement to everyone.

The events from last night came flooding back.

I sighed heavily – that action alone caused an ache in my somewhere in my body. It was clear that this was going to be a long recovery time. "I guess I was in some danger there, huh?"

Alec nodded and I noticed him and Magnus were sitting comfortably on the couch (not too comfortable thankfully). "You were in surgery for hours. We were all really worried about you." He shrugged. "But, you know, it's your hobby to make others worry about you."

I smiled that time. "Yeah, I know. But what entertain would you have than my daunting adventures that nearly get me killed?"

That earned me an eye roll from everyone. Oh, well.

That's when I came to a realization as well: the one person I wanted to be here was absent.

I relaxed into the bed, closing my eyes for a minute before opening them again, keeping my gaze on the ceiling.

"So…Where's Clary? Did she…?" _Did she leave me? Did she leave me in her wake of misery and anger?_ I couldn't bring myself to say it, mainly because I didn't want it to be true.

Isabelle spoke after a long pause, almost like she didn't know how to tell me. "Jace… She-"

"No, Isabelle," Magnus's voice interrupted her, "don't tell him. Let's enjoy his ignorance for the time being."

I glared at the sparkly club owner. "What?"

Magnus turned his chin up higher. "Did your ass beating affect your hearing? I said we're not telling you. Besides, why should we? It should be pretty obvious where she is, actually. And maybe for once you will get what you deserve." His expression was blank and never changed. But his voice held an almost angry tone to it; there was definitely impatience mixed in.

Isabelle looked between us in awe, and didn't seem to know which one of us to scold first. But she didn't seem to want to tell me where Clary was. It seems even Isabelle feels I didn't deserve to know.

"Magnus, don't-"

As she scolded Magnus, I struggled to sit up. Why? Well, I oh, so massively want to punch his face in. Did I succeed? No, and for two seasons. One: the pain from the aftermath of my fight came back to haunt me pretty quickly. Two: that weight on my chest from earlier pushed me back down gently. And what followed was a soft cascade touch down my arm, and a squeeze of my hand. Then, the kind voice I've been waiting to hear.

"Relax, Jace. Magnus is messing with you. I'm right here."

Slowly – almost painfully slow – I turned my head and saw an angel before me.

"Clary…" Her name fell from my lips with so much relief one would have thought it was the force of water finally breaking a dam.

She looked tired – exhausted. Her skin was paler, there was proof that she hadn't been sleeping under her eyes, and her hair was in a messy pony tail. There didn't seem to be any damage from what happened in the alley. Nothing…that I could see from her appearance.

She smiled at me from her spot in the chair next to my bed, though it was weak. "Hey, sleeping beauty. Been waiting for you to wake up."

It dawned on me then that she had been sleeping on my bed this whole time. How had I not noticed her there before?

Magnus, who had a smug look on his face, kicked his feet up on the small coffee table and put his arm around Alec casually. "And let me be the first to tell you how absolutely boring it was sitting her. Oh, and sorry about the whole 'let's not tell him' thing. They told me not to, but I couldn't resist. The look on your face was priceless, my friend."

I rolled my eyes, ready to snap at him, but I couldn't. Something in my dissolved, and my tense and sore body relaxed back into the bed. "That's…fine, Magnus. I know you didn't mean anything by it. Just having a little fun after a boring time here. I understand."

His body went still, and for a moment, he looked shocked, like he couldn't believe what I was saying. "Y-You're not mad? Not even a little angry with me?"

I shook my head and I felt Clary's hand squeeze mine yet again. She smiled wider, and this time I couldn't but to do the same. "Nah. Besides…" I sighed heavily for effect. "It's so exhausting putting up with you all the time. It's amazing Alec does it every day."

That got everyone to laugh; even Alec sprouted a smile. Sure, it was small and almost non-existent, but it was there.

Simon, who I noticed for the first time since waking up, wrapped his arms around Isabelle from behind. She leaned into him slightly. "So, macho-man, what are you guys going to do now?"

I looked up at him, confused.

He continued: "I mean, are you guys going to move after what happened? If it were me, I would. I wouldn't want to live anywhere near that alley after what they did-"

He stopped short, and Isabelle elbowed him in the gut. He groaned and let out a loud puff of air. Then, in a strained, cracked voice, he said, "After what? What are we talking about again?"

_After what they did…_

The last thing I remember in the alley is falling unconscious after that guy stabbed me. (The memory of it made the direct spot where the knife entered my abdomen burn.) I remember he pain, his hand around my neck, and…and then a figure behind that guy, one that didn't look too friendly.

I looked at Clary, panicked.

But she beat me to the punch. "And before you assume the worse, I'm fine. They didn't hurt me too badly. The doctor said I was just very shaken up with a minor concussion."

"A concussion?"

She rubbed the back of her head slightly, and I reached up to touch where she was feeling. There was a small bump on the back of her head, but nothing anyone would notice. "It's from when they had me against the wall. But really, I'm okay." She took my hand again and held it tight. "It's you I've been worried about."

I sighed. "You were the one that was attacked. And you're worried about me?"

She looked at me incredibly, like I had grown another head. "Yes, it's _you_ I'm worried about! You were stabbed for God's sake! Jace, I was so afraid that…that you weren't going to make it out of the alley." And it was then that I believed her – I believed every word she was saying. Her fatigue, the sadness in her eyes, the pity on her face. It was all there.

"You…You cried, didn't you?" I asked out of the blue. It was like I suddenly didn't have control of what came out of my mouth.

She looked just as shocked as I was, but nodded anyway.

I pulled her to me, bringing her head to mine until our foreheads touched. I looked deep into her eyes, so that she would understand that I meant what I was about to say. "I don't ever what you to cry for me, angel. Your face it too pretty for that, you know."

She laughed, and I saw her eyes shine with tears. I cupped her cheek softly. "Hey… What'd I just say? No tears. Okay?"

She sniffed and kissed my lips for a small brief moment, and let me say that I was feather light – a feather that could only come from angel's wings. She pulled back and smiled; any signs of tears gone. "Okay. I understand," she said brightly. "I won't cry for you when you die. Not one tear."

I frowned. "Well, that's not quite what I meant…"

Everyone laughed, and hearing Clary's laugh was like hearing the jingle of bells.

Shortly after that, the doctor came in and to check up on me. After making everyone leave, he examined the wound and said that I could leave as soon as I felt strong enough to. I told him now, but he insisted that I wait a few more hours so that he could get a prescription written and the discharge papers ready.

When he left, it was Clary that came back in.

"Hey."

My lip twitched in a smile. "Hey."

She reached my bed and I noticed a try of food. "I went to café. Hungry?"

I nodded, examining the PB and J sandwiches in front of me with an animalistic hunger. There was also a container of apple sauce and cup of water. "I feel as though I haven't eaten in days."

She laughed and helped me unwrap one of the sandwiches. "Actually, that's pretty accurate. You've been out for about a day and a half."

Once she handed it to mean, it was half gone in almost three bites. She laughed at me of course, but that was fine. I had my distraction and was perfectly content with eating it. Even though it was hospital food and it was only a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it tasted so damn good right then.

There was a few minute of peaceful silence between us, one I had been hoping for since waking up. (I love my sister, but her too-happy attitude was a little overwhelming sometimes.) I noticed that as the minutes passed, Clary started becoming more and more anxious; she was fiddling idly with a loose string on her jacket. It made me all the more curious is to why.

But I never got to ask.

"I-I'm sorry," she said timidly at random, not looking at me. Her fingers that delicately played with the string of fabric suddenly came very interesting to her. She looked so…guilty, and she shouldn't. She wasn't the only one at fault here. "I kind of jumped the gun by leaving before giving you the chance you deserved to really explain," she continued. "Isabelle and Alec told me about Aline, and how she can be really sweet when she wants to be, but because of her huge crush on you she– Well, Alec used the phrase 'turns into to a crazed psychopathic bitch', but I'm just going to say she was a little crazed." She paused and looked up at me through her lashes. "Did you know she was in here talking to you at one point yesterday?"

I hadn't, but she could have known that answer by the shock on my face.

"She came in some time after Isabelle and Alec left to get coffee and I was sleeping. I didn't stir when she approached because I thought it was them, or a nurse. Then she started talking about how sorry she was that acted that way. She said that none of her family had come to help her move, and she was overly happy to see someone she knew."

She sighed deeply, and it made wonder what she was trying to say.

"I should have let you talk – and for that I'm sorry."

I sighed. So she really was blaming herself for what happened. "Clary–"

She held up her hand. "No, don't interrupt. I…I have to say this before I chicken out."

I could have sworn I heard her mumble something that sounded a lot like 'And before Isabelle lectures me about it again'. But it must have been my medicated mind playing tricks on me.

With a deep breath, she continued with some hesitation. "I – I have to say this because I can't keep it from you anymore; it wouldn't be fair if I did. I don't want you to see this as a bad thing, but as a good thing. I want you to be able to move on as if nothing happened."

I did not like the sound of this. My heart dropped to my feet – if I were standing, so I guess in this case it dropped to my ass – and I felt as though someone had stabbed me in the stomach.

Oh, that's right. Someone already did.

"The bottom line, Jace, is that I-"

"No."

She stopped, mouth hung open in mid-sentence. "What?"

Struggling slightly, I tried to sit up in bed, wincing when an unbearable pain shot up and down my body like a shockwave. Immediately though, Clary was there helping me, putting a gentle hand on my back.

"Jace-"

"You can't do this to me, Clary," I interrupted (again). "You can't just up and leave after what happened because of a stupid fight. I admit that I'm the cause of all this, okay? I screwed up, and I'm willing to pay for my mistakes. But letting you go isn't an option. I was the one who over reacted, and I'm sorry."

She said nothing. She only looked at me with shock, but was hanging on every word. I took advantage of her speechlessness and pressed on. "I can't…I can't lose you. Not like I lost my home. And – God forbid – _not_ like I lost Max. Yeah, I'm sure in a lot of ways you think that I saved you from depression and guilt and sorrow after your mother died. But I'll be damned and banned from Heaven, Hell, and Earth if I can't say that you saved me too, Clarissa Fray." I took a breath, trying to calm my slightly racing heart. "You can tell me you hate me; you can tell me you love me; hell you can even tell me how much of an ass that I am. That's all fine – I don't care. Just don't…don't tell me you're leaving me."

I took her hand and she squeezed it; I was determined to get one last promise in before she laughed in my face. "I promise I will do anything in my power to protect you, and I will most certainly to do anything to make sure you still love me."

Slowly, her shock dissolved and was replaced by wide, bright smile. That, needless to say, surprised me a little.

She leaned forward and kissed my lips gently; a kiss equally as soft as the one from earlier upon first waking up.

"I'm actually glad that you said that." She kissed my cheek this time. "Jace Wayland, you may piss me off to no end, and you may make me want to smack the living hell out of you." She laughed when I made a face. But I still love you. And I always will."

He raised a brow. "You sure?" he asked teasingly, obviously trying to lighten to mood.

She nodded. "Yes. Are you?"

I nodded too, without hesitation. "I will want to be with you so long as you want to be with me. And if the day does come when you feel that I am to amazing handsome for you, that I will do my best to leave you – if that's what you would want."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't hold your breath."

I smirked. "Didn't plan on it." I dropped the smirk and turned her head toward me – she had checked her phone to see what time it was – to look me in the eye. "Now, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

"You mean before you oh-so-rudely interrupted?"

"Yeah. But first tell me: is it good news or bad news?"

She eyed me. "How do you know its news?"

"I'm just that good, baby." I winked at her and added, "And I can tell by how you avoided the question. Come on. Let's hear it. I can take it."

She cringed, having been caught in the act. "Okay, okay. But it could honestly be good news or bad news, depending on how you react."

I raised a brow in question.

"Something…happened."

Well, that was one way to drop the bomb. So…bad news then? My mind went on high alert, thinking maybe she got in an accident on top of the 'accident' while I was down for the count. Or maybe she got me a . I can't be too sure with her right now. She said it could be good news, but then I could be bad. I'm at a loss here.

Another deep breath, and her eyes were on mine to make sure I was paying attention. "Jace, you're gunna be a dad."

…

My brain function may be lacking, but I think she just said…

"W-Wha…?"

She smiled sheepishly. "You heard me. You're going to be a dad, Jace."

That's what I thought she said.

I didn't think it was possible for a person's hands to clam up, stomach drop, heart race, and throat to tighten – because words seemed almost impossible to find – all at the same time. I guess that's what happens when you find out you're going to be a dad.

Holy shit…

It finally clicked in my brain.

I'm gunna be a dad.

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	6. Chapter 6

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**Clary's POV**

There. I [kind of] said it. I finally told him that I'm pregnant – with our kid. I found out about three days ago, and I've been dying to tell him. But…then this happened.

Jace was quiet, and he hadn't said anything for a long time. That can't be a good sign.

The smile dropped from my face. "Jace? Are you okay?" I placed my hand on his, which was suddenly clammy.

"I-I… Yeah."

That meant no. "Okay, Jace, I know you're lying – it's painfully obvious. So let me just say that…I'm sorry. I know this wasn't planned at all. I really don't know how it happened – well, I know how, but we used protection so… Oh, God! I don't know! I know that we aren't married, and that your mother is going to freak out because of that little detail but…we can make this work. It will be a long tough road, but we can do it." I smiled as reassuringly as I could, but his blank face was making it harder and harder to hold it there.

"Married…" was the word that fell from his lips. Of all things.

Uh-oh. "N-No. I-I don't want you to marry me…" Hold on – wrong wording. Now he's got me stumbling for the right words. "What I'm trying to say is that we don't have to get married now. I know we…kind of talked about getting married, but that bridge can be crossed when we reach it." I squeezed his hand. "Okay?"

Slowly, he smiled, and it was one of his small special smiles – ones that are only saved for me. "Okay. I'll remember that."

I returned his smile with one of my own. "Good."

Then he got a kind got a far-away look in his eye. "We're going to have a baby."

I sat on the bed with him and kissed his cheek, afraid to kiss his lips in case I hurt him. "Yeah…we are. Are you ready for that?"

He shrugged. "Probably not, but it's like you said, we'll make it work. I'll be there for you no matter what, Clary, you know that."

I smiled, feeling a tug at my heart. "I do now." I sat suddenly, smiling brightly. "I've got a surprise for you."

He raised a brow. "So, on top of the baby, you put us in financial debt?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, Jace. We have some money left over from your medical bills."

"Is that so?"

"Mmhm. And I didn't really need to spend money on this. It's at home."

He sighed. "Home… Home sounds nice."

"Doctor said sometime today."

He nodded. "Back to this surprise: what is it?"

I shook my head and gave him the 'really?' look. "That defeats the point of a surprise, Jace."

He shrugged. "Was worth a shot." Leaning farther into his pillows, he sighed. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. His injuries were still healing nicely – even the doctors were surprised how fast. They decided to let him go early, so long as he was feeling up to it. And I was sure that he would be.

"Are you tired?" I asked a few minutes later, after he finished eating his sandwiches. "Do you want me to go get you something else to eat? They had jello cups in the café."

He just looked at me, his golden eyes twinkling with an almost overwhelming amount of emotion. I could tell what he was feeling; what I could get from the smile on his face was that he didn't seem to have problem with whatever it was he was feeling.

"No," he finally said, pulling me close enough to him that our foreheads touched. The smile never left his face, and the warmed feeling I got when he smiled never left my body. "I've got all I want right here."

The doctor said in a few hours Jace could go home. A few hours didn't seem that long, but around 4:30 pm the doctor came back with a nurse in tow. He was an older man, no older than his mid-40s. There was a noticeable amount of grey hairs that stood out against the dark brown on his head, and he had a clean, shaved face.

"Mr. Wayland, Ms. Fray," the doctor greeted with a kind smile.

I got off the bed and stepped aside to let him get to Jace. "Good afternoon, Dr. Gallow."

I wondered if he remembered me. I had spent a lot of time in this hospital while my mother was being treated. A few of the older nurses – the ones who have been here a few years – had recognized me when I was roaming the halls and greeted me with a bright smile. But there are a lot of people in this place and I'm sure a lot of patients come and go. I don't blame him for not–

Before I could do or say anything else, the nurse that came in with him pushed in front of me. "I'm going to have to asked you to wait outside for the examination." She reached around me to grab the curtain that sectioned off a part of the room.

What? Was she serious?

"It's fine," Jace protested. "She's my girlfriend. Not like there's something she hadn't seen."

God… He did not just say that! I felt heat creep in my cheeks. He could be so embarrassing sometimes.

"Grace, it's okay," Dr. Gallow said without turning to her. "It will be brief. These people have been here long enough and have been waiting patiently to go home."

The nurse glanced at him, but he never turned to her. She huffed and pushed the curtain back against the wall. She returned to Jace's other side to take not of the numbers on the machines.

Wow. I think _someone _has been clocking too many hours around here.

After a few minutes, she left the room. Now it was kind of awkward.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Gallow," I apologized suddenly.

He turned to me. "Hm?"

I fiddled with my fingers idly. "I didn't mean to make her mad. I just… Well she wasn't very nice."

This made him chuckle as he turned back to Jace – who looked both pissed off and tired. "It's quite alright. Grace always has a bit of an attitude. That's part of the reason why I let her shadow me when I do my check-ups: to keep an eye on her."

I nodded, not sure what else to say.

After looking at Jace's stiches one last time, he stopped what he was doing and turned to me, placing the stethoscope around the back of his neck. "I know you from somewhere, don't I?"

My eyes widened slightly. So he did recognize me.

I nodded meekly. I noticed Jace's eyes on me, but I tried to ignore his stare. "Yeah. You, uh… You were my mother's doctor. You and about two other specialists regularly checked in on her." I think since I wouldn't see a therapist right away about what happened they sent him – a doctor who deals with general patients – to keep an eye on me. A 17-year-old girl in distress running around a busy hospital probably wasn't a good thing. He would often come in with a puzzle to try or a treat, like a cookie from the bakery across the street.

I let that information sink in for a minute. Then realization came over him – his eyes widened ever so slightly and his expression turned sad. "That's right. You were that girl that lost her mother due to that car accident – Jocelyn Fray and her daughter Clarissa. Oh, dear… I'm so sorry."

I smiled lightly. "My friends call me Clary, and it's okay. You don't have to apologize. You and the other doctors did all they could. I've come to terms with her death. I'm sure she's happy where ever she is."

He put on a sad smile and put his hands on my arms. Automatically I looked up at his caring face. "No one would be more proud of you than her. Trust me, I know. I lost my wife to cancer just last year. I had begged her to go on dialysis, but she wouldn't have it. She said that God has s plan for everyone, and she's right."

I am not going to cry. I am_ not_ going to cry. _I am not going to cry…_

"Don't morn her death; be happy that she knew she could leave you and trust that you were strong enough to make it without her, too. I may have only known you and your mother less than a month, but I can say that our loved owns doing leave us unexpectedly without a reason."

Then Jace wasn't supposed to leave me – maybe faith decided I had lost enough loved ones for the time being.

And, look – I'm crying.

Feeling brave, I broke from his hold and wrapped my arms around him in a hug. There was a moment of hesitation, and then his arms wrapped around my back gently.

God I hated crying in front of people. I sniffled. "Th-Thank you. You were so kind to me then, and thank you for taking care of Jace. He's literally the only one I have left."

"You are very welcome, Clary Fray." He broke away and I hastily wiped at my face. When I looked back up at him, his kind smile was back. "My wife left me our Golden Retriever puppy to look after. And I kept my promise to her to cut my hours and spend more time with my family."

I let a watery smile form on my lips.

With that he turned back to Jace, putting a kind hand on his shoulder. "Your stiches look good. Just remember to take it easy at home; no heavy lifting, no exercising, not anything that will strain your body in any way. Every two weeks I want you to come back and meet with me to check on your progress. And eventually we will get those stiches out. Hopefully we wound have to go through physical therapy. Okay, Mr. Wayland?"

Jace nodded, trying to hide the fact that he was tired. "Thanks, doc. But next time, try not to make my girlfriend cry."

I rolled my eyes. He was lucky I couldn't hit him up-side his head.

Dr. Gallow chuckled. "Just take care of her and the baby."

I froze, and I could seem Jace's body go ridged slightly – then he relaxed, smiling. "Yeah. I can do that much."

Dr. Gallow nodded to me a smiled before walking to the door. "Have a good day, Clary. See you both in a few weeks."

The door closed.

Question time. "Okay, first of all, how did he know about the baby?" I asked. "I mean, I know the nurses checked me over, but I didn't think he was looking at my file, too."

Jace shrugged. "I guess that's a doctor's secret."

"I guess. And second of all, are you used to the fact of being a dad already?"

That smile never left his face. "It's growing on me."

I couldn't help but smile at that.

"And third of all, are you happy?"

He closed his eyes and relaxed into the pillow as far as he could. "Clary Fray, you have no idea…"

As soon as we found out that Jace was discharged from the hospital, I told Isabelle (via texting) that we were going back to the apartment.

_Good! I will meet you there along with Alec and Magnus. Should I bring anything to celebrate?_

While busying myself with getting Jace ready to go and making sure that we had all that we came here with, I had ignored Isabelle's message. For two reasons: one, my phone was dying and I had to save the battery until we got back to the apartment; two, she wanted throw a huge party with people and lots of noise.

That was bad idea for two reasons: one, my building doesn't allow mild parties, at least to do the extent that her and Magnus were planning; two, Jace is supposed to be on bed rest. No amount of wild party screams 'bed rest' to me.

I rolled my eyes, smiling to myself. _No, Izzy. Just show up. It's not going to be anything extravagant._

When I looked up at Jace – he was sitting in a wheel chair with his bag on his lap – he had his brow raised in suspicion.

"What?" I asked innocently.

He shook his head. "Why do I feel like you're planning something?"

I shrugged non-chalantly. "You must be delusional, or delirious. Why would I do something like that? I'm going to go ahead and blame the medications on that. Come on. Car is waiting out front."

I hiked my messenger bag up higher on my shoulder, got behind Jace's wheel chair and started pushing him out the door and through the halls. It was around 6:00 in the evening, give or take a few minutes. And I noticed that things were starting to wind down. There weren't nurses running from room to room, no little kids swinging their legs out into the isle as they sit in the chairs on the wall. It was pretty quiet.

We came to the elevator and I pushed the button to go down to the first floor. As we waited, Jace and I didn't say much. He grumbled that he could have gotten it – the elevator button, I mean – and I argued that he would right back in a bed if he had. Ultimately, I won the argument and he was trying to think of ways to win others, and he'd fight to get his way. That's just who Jace was. A fighter.

The elevator dinged and the door opened, revealing two nurses and three worried looking family members. The nurse excused them as they filed out and hurried down the hall to a room. I eased Jace into the now empty elevator and hit the button to the first floor. When the door closed and the elevator dinged, Jace spoke up again.

"There's something that's been bothering me…"

I played with a chunk of his golden hair absentmindedly. "What's that?"

"When I was in the alley, there was that guy leaning over me, and I thought he was going to finish the job. Why didn't he? What stopped him?"

I froze in my hair playing. Uh, oh. I was hoping he wouldn't ask about what happened after he passed out. I was in so much trouble…!

He noticed my hesitation and turned the best he could in his wheel chair. "Clary? What do you know?"

I didn't look him in the eye. Instead I pretended to look through my messenger bag. "I…don't know what happened. I wasn't there, remember?"

"I never said that you were there." Damn it! I slipped. "Clary, you have exactly 5 seconds to tell me-"

_Ding!_

"Okay! Let's go!"

I started pushing him out of the elevator and to the doors. It was dark outside, but I could make out the shape of my silver Jeep Grand Cherokee. All I had to do was get him in the car and get him home. Why couldn't I do that?

"Clarissa Fray, you are avoiding the question."

I groaned. "Please stop calling me that. You know I hate my full name."

"Stop lying to me, then maybe I'll stop."

I sighed. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?" We had made it to the passenger side of the car where I stopped a few feet away to open the door for him.

He had his arms folded over his chest, blank expression on his face. "Not a chance."

"Okay, okay. Let me get you in the car and then we'll talk."

When I reached for him he flinched away. "Absolutely not. You can't. What about…?" He glanced at my stomach, his facial expression turned into a frown.

Was he serious? He couldn't say the word 'baby'? I rolled my eyes. "I'm pregnant, Jace, not handicapped – that's you. I can at least help you into the car."

He raised a brow. "Are you calling me fat?"

What? "How was anything that I said have to do with your weight?" I groaned in annoyance. "Look. The less time you spend stalling, the quicker you can get your questions answered. Okay?"

For a moment, I thought even that wouldn't get him to agree. Then he unfolded his arms and handed me his bag first. I took it from him and put it on the back seat. When I turned back to him, he was trying to get out of the chair himself.

"Hey! Are you nuts?! You'll hurt yourself even more," I scolded. After giving him a hard glare and a boost into the jeep, we were off – finally going home. Now if I can just survive Jace's wrath during the trip over…

The first couple minutes were quiet, and I contemplated turning on the radio, but there was no point, not if he was just going to turn it off again. When I looked over at him, he had a small almost non-existent smile on his face. He looked like he was thinking about something, and whatever it was, it was something beautiful.

I suddenly got a surge of hope: maybe if I distract him long enough, I won't have to tell him what happened in the alley. Deciding to speak up first, I said, "So, Isabelle is insisting that we throw a party. She wanted it to be e a surprise."

He seemed to snap out of his train of thoughts and looked over at me. His eyes were like pools liquid gold, swirling and turning with emotions I easily got lost in them. He way have been beaten up pretty bad and was on his death bed only a few days ago, but that didn't stop him from being one of the happiest fathers-to-be I'd ever seen. So when he opened his mouth to said something, I wasn't expecting: "You're not getting out of trouble that easy, Clary. Nice try." He still had a smile on his face, but it was in a mocking way.

I huffed and focused on the road. "Fine…"

"Now, tell me what happened." His voice was demanding, but I knew he was just curious. It takes a lot to get over the fact that someone you love was in danger and you barely lived through it.

I sighed heavily. "Just…stay calm, okay? I can't have you stressing out on me while I'm driving. That could end badly."

He groaned, and for a moment I thought he was in pain, but when I looked over at him he had his head pressed against his seat, eyes clenched tight with a hand on his forehead. "God, Clary, you can't start out the story like that. You might give me a heart attack for no reason."

I chuckled. "Sorry." Turns out he might have a heart attack anyway if that one sentence was nerve wracking.

"Anyway, you pretty much know what happened after I left and started back to the apartment: the guys came out of nowhere and grabbed me. They pulled me into the alley and I thought I was a goner. I called for you, not really sure if you'd come looking. When I saw that you were at the mouth of the alley, I was so relieved. I knew that I was saved." I smiled to myself. God I sounded so cheesy. My smiled dropped.

"I have never seen you fight like that before. Sure, you've pared with Alec and Isabelle, and yeah it was all for show, but…you were menacing, relentless. It was almost as scary as being pinned against a wall by a man twice your size."

The look on his face turned to shame. "I didn't mean to scare you, Clary. I was…just venting off some pent up anger. I'm sorry."

I shook my head. "Don't apologize. You had a reason to be frustrated. And I know you were just trying to save me."

He nodded, and I continued with my story:

"But when I saw that the one guy had a knife, I panicked. I didn't want you to get hurt, but when I warned you about it, you stayed. My heart was racing watching you fight him. Then I decided that I would fight, too. I struggled against his hold on me, but it was no use. I was too weak to get away." I was so focused on the story and driving, I barely registered Jace's hand in mine. He squeezed it gently, but stayed quiet. "You risked your life for me even though you knew that you could lose. God, in that moment, I hated you. I loved you and hated you all at the same times. You were being stupid and reckless, and…and…!"

I felt his eyes on me, watching me as I told him everything that I felt in the alley that night.

I took a deep breath. Here it goes…

"When I turned and left you there with that guy, I ran back to the building. Mrs. Dorthea was waiting under the awning at the door, so I told her to call the police, to tell them we were attacked. Then…I ran back. Mrs. Dorthea called out to me, but I still went back. I had to check on you, I had to make sure you were okay. Imagine the horror I felt walking into the mouth of the alley with you pinned to a wall with that man's hand around your throat."

"That's when the police showed up, right?" he asked, speaking for the first time in a while.

I deadpanned. "What?"

"That's when the police showed up in time to take that bastard to jail. I mean, that's the only way that I made it out of there."

My mouth dropped open. "You…You think the police saved you?"

His brows knitted together in the way they do when he senses bad news. "They didn't? Then who did? Did you see who was in the alley with you?"

I looked away, focusing again on the road. "No one."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"How positive?"

"About as positive as the pregnancy test."

No comment to that one. Good.

"Look. There was no one else there, Jace."

"What? Then who…was…?" He left the question open ended. He finally figured it out.

As we turned into the parking lot of our apartment building, I felt his questioning eyes one, daring me to confirm his suspicions. I pulled into my assigned parking spot and turned the car off. Feeling suddenly very drained, I sunk into my seat and sighed for what felt like the 100th time today.

"Well, since you figured it out, there's no point in me hiding it." I looked him in the eye. "I went back to the alley and when I saw you were in trouble…my body moved on its own! I couldn't get to you before he took out the knife, but I was there to knock him out. I was the one who saved your sorry ass in the alley."

**Ha! Did you see that one coming?! Did you?**

**Well, I had decided that at the last second, and a few people have asked me personally what it is that Clary left Jace for in chapter 4. Well… I'm not going to tell you. Teehee. You will have to find out what happen in the next chapter! I'm evil, I know.**

**Anyways! Thanks for reading!**

**Tune in next time for chapter 7!**

**-Aly**


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